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Legal issues driving on street with turret cupola

Navy dude

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Jenkintown, PA
Just a quick question for folks with a cupola and shield setup, ... ever had any law enforcement issues driving around in public? I just installed a setup, only drive my truck enough to keep the systems working. I am not the kind of guy that drives around aggressively looking for attention but I do live in the suburbs. In fact my setup is an aluminum training setup although I do have a mk64 cradle installed. I plan on getting a 50 cal reproduction but that won’t be installed for any of my short jaunts, maybe a parade at the most. I am a professional in my 50’s and the last thing I want is any trouble with the law. I just like the look of the thing sitting in my garage, and restoring it..
82B620C0-6F6E-4B18-A4B5-5E08817DE11E.jpg2A477086-9115-4473-B8AE-F683121F07A7.jpg
 

MGKMartin

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Portland, OR
I drive a M1083A1 with a full turret setup with armored GPK and have never had an issue in Oregon. Only negative comment from a cop was when I stopped to help pull a truck out of a ditch. The cop on the scene gave me grief because I didn't have a gun mounted at the time and he thought it would look a lot better with a .50 mounted.
 

Chief B

Active member
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Milton, FL
I think that it all depends on the person pulling you over. I do not have anything on mine and I get attention from the cops around here, but they don't pull me over to ticket me, they just want to talk about it. Normally they just follow me until I get to where Im going then stop to talk. The person who sold it to me told me he use to get pulled over in AL all the time just to chat about it though.
 

Navy dude

Member
114
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Location
Jenkintown, PA
Ok, thanks for the comments. I figured as much but you never know. I just had run across an article about some guy who was facing charges over driving around town in a WW11 m-20 with a propane 50 cal firing... got his truck impounded and was facing charges. This isn’t exactly in the same category but it just got me thinking about any liabilities even driving a truck around that appeared to be more weapon like than the normal family sedan, or any little known laws concerning that.
 

Spyderman

Active member
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Alexandria KY
I am sure it all depends on where you live. Out here in Kentucky I drove around in my 5 ton with my armored box in the back and 50 cal mounted on it. Never had a problem.
 

BLK HMMWV

Well-known member
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Pasadena California
I never had any problems .
I used to do a lot of promotional events for a big airsoft company located out in Ca.
I was always proactive and would drop by the local sheriffs department or police department a few days before hand with a few pictures of the truck and my name # and address and the address of where I'd be and speak to the watch commander.
He would post it so if any calls came in they would already be aware of me .
They seemed very appreciative that I was proactive about it.

Perhaps a call to your local PD or Sheriff wouldn't hurt . Also helps with some good PR.
My .02
BH
 

MGKMartin

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Portland, OR
Ok, thanks for the comments. I figured as much but you never know. I just had run across an article about some guy who was facing charges over driving around town in a WW11 m-20 with a propane 50 cal firing... got his truck impounded and was facing charges. This isn’t exactly in the same category but it just got me thinking about any liabilities even driving a truck around that appeared to be more weapon like than the normal family sedan, or any little known laws concerning that.
There is a MASSIVE difference between driving around with a mounted dummy gun (or even a live gun) and driving around town firing a propane .50. Unless it is a sanctioned event, seeing some idiot driving around in a military vehicle firing a weapon will send people into a panic. They don't know it is just propane. The hear the bang, see the flash, and assume a terrorist is shooting up the town.

I usually remove my .50 when I'm driving, but occasionally put it on before driving to an early event and have never had a problem. I have a friend with a Stuart tank with rubber track pads and he occasionally drives it around town. He even took it through a Sonic drive through one time. Again, no problems.
 

TOBASH

Father, Surgeon, Cantankerous Grouch
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Brooklyn, NY
My insurance company asked if I had a chickencoop installed as they might not have wanted to insure if I had it.

As far as local regulations, none that I'm aware of in NY

Best,

T
 

M813rc

Well-known member
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Near Austin, Texas
In pretty much every story of someone getting in trouble in an MV, it starts out with "I was minding my own business, driving to church, when I was harassed by the police for no reason". Later when the details come out the story becomes something like the guy in the M20 driving around firing the gas gun, or "But I didn't think anyone would be upset by me pointing a .50 at them in traffic, and the hand grenades I was pretending to throw were all fakes anyway!"
They didn't get in trouble for having an MV with a gun mounted on it, they got in trouble for displaying a marked lack of common sense and good judgement in what they were doing with it at the time.

The turret is unlikely to cause you any issues, but a mounted gun might. I know some states are less "understanding" than others, and that in every state there are going to be some badge-heavy rookie cops and the occasional Barney Fife who might freak out.
If in doubt, don't mount the gun until you get where you are going to.

And know your local laws about display of weapons!
In Texas, the key words for getting in trouble are "..in a manner calculated to alarm". This is interpreted in the courts as "Would a reasonable person be alarmed by the action". Not some snowflake, but a reasonable person.
So, in Texas if you walk into your local bar where everyone is a regular and knows you and y'all regularly talk about guns, you can walk in with a shotgun under your arm and proudly say "Look at my new fowling piece!" and you are not violating the law, because no one is likely to be alarmed by your action. Now, walk into a different bar where no one knows you and do the same thing - you're likely going to jail if you survive.

Cheers
 

TOBASH

Father, Surgeon, Cantankerous Grouch
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Brooklyn, NY
I would have told them no. Why would I? I don't have chickens.
Perhaps there are no chickens, but the OP does indeed have a chicken-coop installed for all to see, and I think that might attract unwanted attention from the powers that be unless he is at a military show.

[EDIT - beautiful HMMWV]
 
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DeucesWild11

Active member
1,265
12
38
Location
Putnam County, NY
I got pulled over for "excessive smoke" but the cop was cool he just wanted to check out the truck. I also told him if my Honda was smoking like that it would be excessive but for a Deuce it's not.
 

BLK HMMWV

Well-known member
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Location
Pasadena California
Perhaps there are no chickens, but the OP does indeed have a chicken-coop installed for all to see, and I think that might attract unwanted attention from the powers that be unless he is at a military show.

[EDIT - beautiful HMMWV]
It's called a cupola. not a chicken coop.
Try to use the proper name for it.
 

Crapgame

Well-known member
622
313
63
Location
Navarre, FL
make an orange muzzle cover for it. Just don't ride around town with somebody in the turret aiming the Ma Deuce at folks, people can be sensitive about that sort of thing. Felony Menacing, Disorderly Conduct, Mayhem are some charges that could arise depending on the state.. Just use some common sense. Secure the Ma Deuce with the muzzle pointed upwards several degrees, the M23 mount can do that I believe. The Mk93 you can crank down the T&E to raise the muzzle. Or get an issue vinyl gun cover for it. But most of all, just use some common sense and courtesy.
 
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